Amusement apparatus.



V w. 1. KEEFE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1916.

1 ,238, 1 5 1 Patented Aug. 28, 1917 2 SHEETS SHEEI' I.

. S 2 W A w I PHANTOM:

W. J. KEEFE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-18,1916. 1,238,151; Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED gTATES PATENT @FFIQE.

WILLIAM J. KEEFE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed January 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM J. Knnrn, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in amusement apparatus, one object of the in vention being the provision of an apparatus that will give the appearance to the parties in action, of an automobile race, there being combined with dummy automobiles a moving picture projector, a screen upon which the pictures are projected, and windlasses for moving the automobiles toward the screen.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an amusement apparatus, which produces an imaginary or phantom race,but which due to the arrangement of the apparatus will impart to the occupants of the dummy cars or automobiles an idea that the race is real.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an amusement apparatus, that is simple and easy to operate, and which will amuse the public.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a tent or pavilion showing the motor cars at one side ready for the occupants and in normal position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the amusement apparatus, the top of the tent or pavilion being removed.

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan of another form of means for actuating the cars.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longi tudinal section of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing in elevation one of the guide pulleys.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detailed view showing the hanger on one of the movable members.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a tent, pavilion or other house for the present apparatus, it being here provided with the two large entrance doorways, 11, each controlled by its drop curtain 12, and with the two outlet door ways 13, one at each side of the front of the structure.

This particular illustration provides for two complete apparatus, so that while one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 28, 1917.

Serial No. 72,747.

is being emptied or in operation, the other is being filled and operated.

Therefore the description of one will suiiice for both. A motion picture screen 1 L is provided, and to the rear thereof is mounted the motion picture projectile 15, which may, however, be in any desired position, according to the construction of the struc ture. The scene to be projected is preferably a racing scene, either automobiles, horse racing, motor cycle racing, boat racing or the like, the present illustration simulating an automobile race.

In front of the screen is located a pull curtain, 16, which will exclude the screen at the proper time, the curtains 12 and 16 be ing alternately operated.

Mounted in. front of the screen are several vehicles or movable members 17, each one of which has connected thereto a cable or flexible connection 18, which is led through the guide pulley 19, to the windlass 20, there being one of these to each member 17 The windlass in this instance is hand operated through the crank 21. Also mounted adj acent the projector 15, is a bell or alarm 22, which is to be operated at the starting and stopping of the projector, so that the occupants may know when the race is starting and stopping.

In Fig. 4: there is shown an electric motor 23, which is connected through the medium of gearing 24: with a driven shaft 26 journaled in any suitable supports, the said shaft 26 being hollow and carries a plurality of windlasses which can be substituted for the windlasses 20 when it is desired to automatically move the members or vehicles 17. Each windlass 20 is loose upon the shaft 26 which has slidably splined or connected thereon between pairs of said windlasses 20 adjacent to each other suitable clutch members 27, which have connected thereto operating levers 28 suitably connected with throw arms 29 supported in any suitable manner, so that on the operation of either of the arms, the pairs of windlasses 20 can be alternately looked upon the shaft for the driving of said windlasses in selective order. It will be apparent that when any one of the windlasses 20 is looked upon the shaft 26, and the motor 23 is started, one of the members or vehicles 17 can be advanced independently of the other members or vehicles, it being understood of course, that the cables 18 are normally unwound from each Windlass 20 and on the locking of any one of the same to the shaft 26 its respective cable will be wound upon the Windlass when the motor is active. Each cable 18 is connected to an arm 18 affixed to and depend ing from the front axle of the member or vehicle 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. By this arrangement it will be appreciated that by rocking the throw arms only one of each pair of windlasses 29 will be positively moved at a time so as to consequently intermittently move the correspond ing cars.

It is also possible and desirable to employ motors for alternately raising and lowering the curtains 12 and 16, so that at the end of a scene the curtain 16 will be lowered, to permit the occupants time to realize that the race is over and to get out of the cars and leave the structure through the side dooray 13, the curtain 12 then being raised to permit others to occupy the cars.

lVith this apparatus the occupants of the members 17, whether such members be motor cars or boats, or the like will, due to the pictures presented in motion upon the screen, think that the cars are moving that they in reality are in the race, the Windlass apparatus being operated toward or at the end of the scene, so that one of the members 17 will be moved slightly in advance of the others and thus be given the appearance of having won the race. Where so desired, souvenirs may be given to the racers, and more especially to the winning one.

3. An amusement apparatus, including a structure, a screen upon which motion pictures are to be projected mounted in the structure, a curtain for said screen, a second curtain spaced from the first curtain, a plurality ot movable vehicles mounted. in the P structure between the curtains, and means for selectively moving said vehicles toward the screen.

4. An amusement apparatus, including a structure having two door ways. a motion picture screen located in the structure and in alinement with one doorway, two curtains one for the screen and. the other for the alined doorway, a plurality of vehicles mounted side by side and in the space between the curtains, and means for selectively moving one vehicle at a time toward the screen.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

WILLIAM J. KEEFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

